


Mending What's Broken

by orphan_account



Series: Loving John Sheppard [1]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-13 04:25:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 19,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14741961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: This pairing is far and away my favourite fandom couple so I thought I'd give it a go. As with most of the other fandoms, I have never seen any of the actual episodes but ship it so hard!





	1. Chapter 1

 

* * *

 

**CHAPTER ONE**

 

Dr Rodney MacKay reached out blindly, silencing his alarm clock. He shivered as he settled back under the blankets. The heating had yet to kick in and that brief movement had let the cold air under the covers. There was no need for him to be up yet. It was still dark out and Moröc was handling the animals. Before his desertion Ferenz, the traitor, had at least persuaded his nephew to stay on and help out until a permanent replacement could be found.

Rodney was just slipping back into a doze when the racket started up again. Confused, he rolled over and glared at the alarm clock which was definitely not alarming.

Hmm

It took a few more seconds of banging before he realised the noise was coming from the front of the house. Who would be banging on his door before the sun was up?! The birds were safe in their elevated habitat and if there was a problem with one of the horses Moröc was much better equipped to handle it. He might not be the brightest bulb, but he did know how to handle the animals. Maybe the idiot had locked himself out the cabin, again.

Rodney reluctantly hauled himself out of bed and shoved his feet into his furry slipper boots. They were a gift from his niece for his birthday back in April since he was always complaining about the cold floor. They were his favourite thing.

He grumbled as he stomped to the front of the house, the knocking was relentless.

“If you break my door I will bury you under the manure patch!”

He swung the door open and came face to face with … a drowned rat? Or at least a shivering human doing a very good impression of one.

“You’re not Moröc!”

The stranger tried to smile but his teeth were chattering too much.

Rodney could feel his anxiety ramping up. He didn’t like dealing with the strangers, that was the whole point of being off the beaten track! He knew he should let him they guy in, the breeze was absolutely frigid and over a skinny shoulder he could see they’d finally got that snowfall that had been threatening since they said goodbye to October.

It had started with the odd flurry and chilly breezes about a week ago. It was a bit early for snow, usually the white stuff started nearer the end of November. Still it was cold enough that this poor fool might do himself serious harm if he was out in it much longer. It could be a ploy, maybe Sam and her cronies decided to approach him this way hoping to catch him unawares and steal some more of his research.

They’d be out of luck. Eventhough he lived on his own, he was still a paranoid bastard and locked all his research away before bed each night. His underground lab was accessed via a concealed entrance behind a false wall accessible only through his bedroom. Lesson well and truly learned.

She must be getting desperate. He’d been disappeared long enough that any glory she’d gained from his stolen research would have worn off by now and her peers would be expecting her to produce new discoveries of a similar calibre. Of course she couldn’t, since the discoveries weren’t hers in the first place. It’d almost be worth it to come out of his self-enforced hiding to witness her discomfort and disgrace.

He wondered how that General lackey of Sam’s was faring these days. He’d never caught the man’s name. What with being kicked off the base and threatened with prison and having his accounts frozen, there just hadn’t been time to get acquainted. They must have been planning it from the start. He’d thought Sam was his girlfriend, but she’d obviously just been stringing him along to get her hands on his research. By the time he’d found out what she’d done, there’d been a General at his door.

He’d made his way to Jeannie’s and hacked into their system to get his money back. Then he’d appealed to his government for help. They’d been reluctant to take on the US Air Force but his threat to withhold any further research had finally got the bureaucrats moving. He’d received an apology for the way he’d been treated but had to write off the research.

Rodney was abruptly drawn out his musings when his visitor suddenly collapsed halfway inside the doorway with his legs still on the porch.

The decision had been taken out of his hands.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet John Sheppard

* * *

** CHAPTER TWO **

John Sheppard woke slowly and gave a languid stretch, enjoying the sensation of waking to true warmth for the first time in weeks. It had been a gamble and he’d changed his mind several times, talking himself in and out of this plan while enacting something straight from John Hughes’ mind.

Once he’d left Vancouver on foot however, he was fully committed. He’d calculated it would take a couple of weeks of hiking and camping to make it all the way out here. The light dusting of snowflakes had started on the second day of his hike and at first, he had been concerned, had thought about turning back. But when those light flurries were easily blown away, he’d felt safe continuing. The first snowfall wasn’t due for a few weeks and he’d arrive at his destination long before then.

John had in no way been prepared for last night’s powder extravaganza. He’d been taking his time, averaging between 20 – 40 km per day. There was only the last 25km stretch and he’d planned to reach MacKay’s place later today. His shivering was what woke him to a blanket of white and it had still been coming down. It was the middle of the night and pitch black, so he’d attached his head torch and decided to head out before it got worse. The Atlas Valley Ranch was the only place around for miles and luckily someone had left a light on.

His mind tried to conjure up an image of the Ranch’s owner but he’d been cold and exhausted at when they met last night and was drawing a blank. All he remembered was a gruff voice and something about manure?

Just then, John’s stomach made itself known. Hopefully Mackay wouldn’t begrudge him some coffee and sustenance. Maybe he could familiarise himself with the kitchen by making breakfast. Start as he meant to go on. He had some ground to make up after literally falling at the man’s feet last night. This opportunity was too good to miss.

After a couple of false starts, he finally found the kitchen, and while enjoying his coffee, John’s thoughts turned to his father. Patrick Sheppard must be pulling his hair out by now. During his travels John had tried to remain inconspicuous, leaving little or no paper trail. That was one of the reasons he’d chosen the two week hike for the last leg of his journey. He was now some six hours from Vancouver and hopefully no one would think to look for him in a valley at the foot of a mountain.

John had always known he was the spare son and that his brother Dave was the favourite. He’d been persona non grata for several years after defying his father to join the Air Force and had been content to serve his country and quietly make his way up the chain of command.

Then Dave had fallen from grace by marrying an undesirable and compounded his problem by refusing to have the marriage dissolved. His brother had been summarily disinherited, and Patrick Sheppard had brought all his not inconsiderable weight to bear on getting his wayward son to fall in line. Through his father’s meddling, John had been left with no choice but to resign his commission and had been unable to secure any further employment, also thanks to the Sheppard patriarch. Six months later, he’d been rethinking his strategy for not falling under his father’s thumb when he’d spotted the ad for Atlas Valley.

His mother had loved horses, and she’d passed her affinity for the majestic creatures on to him. He’d always gone riding whenever he got the chance, but when he was stationed somewhere unpleasant, the equine enthusiasts’ website helped him feel closer to his mother and reminded him of better times. He knew likeminded people found love matches on the site, but he’d never paid any attention to that section of the website until a fit of boredom had sent him snooping.

Seeing Mrs Miller’s ad for Atlas Valley had felt like a sign. Several intense and invasive online conversations later, he was running a security check using the info she’d given him; no doubt she’d carried out her own checks.

Three weeks after their initial conversation, he was on his way. Because he’d been trying not to leave a trail for anyone to follow, the whole journey had taken three months. He’d only started second-guessing himself _after_ he’d embarked on his adventure.

He’d planned his journey meticulously and had arranged for his arrival to coincide with his matchmaker’s visit. From the information provided during negotiations, he had deduced that she was the younger sibling. She’d wanted to be on hand for the first meeting to soothe any ruffled feathers; judging by the whiteout going on outside the kitchen window, that would not be happening.

John hoped he and Dr MacKay were compatible. He already loved what he’d seen of the spacious house and could happily make a home here. He was starting a new phase of his life and would love to share it with someone now that he didn’t have to hide. The five year contract would provide the stability and companionship he was looking for. Throw in the horses, some intelligent conversation and the opportunity to finish his studies and he was happy. Tolerating emotional instability and an occasionally aggressive personality seemed a small price to pay in exchange. Besides, he’d had lots of practice with his own family and anyone was better than the harpy his dad had selected for him.

John had been prepping breakfast while rethinking his life choices and after putting the cinnamon rolls in the oven and starting a fresh pot of coffee, he decided to freshen up and get a change of clothes. He’d need every advantage to convince MacKay to take a chance on him. In reality, they would be taking a chance on each other.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is my way of winding down from completing this semester's final piece of coursework; group work is meh.   
> Just a few more weeks and this academic year will be over.  
> I’ll be posting one or two chapters per day depending on how much studying I’m avoiding. 
> 
> Had The Jetson's theme music stuck in my head for some reason, hence the summary.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The best laid plans of Mackays’ often go awry

* * *

 

** CHAPTER THREE **

Jeanie Miller angrily slammed the phone back into its cradle and let out a frustrated shout. Her bloody brother was the most infuriating man in the history of the planet! In hindsight, she should have told him to expect John, she knew how he was about meeting new people. But that was no excuse for him to act like a child and throw a tantrum. The ungrateful sod still found a way to piss her off even when she was doing him a favour!

It was probably for the best. This way, Rodney and John could hammer all the awkward realities involved in living together without any witnesses. Moröc would stay on in the caretaker’s cabin and continue to help out, so John would have to stay in the ranch house.

It’s not her fault the snow decided to come three weeks early and it definitely wasn’t safe to travel until it had stopped. Mere.. ugh RODNEY (she’d need to do better at remembering that especially after the last time) had bought a small helicopter that they’d both learnt to fly. It stayed with her since she mostly used it to visit him and Rodney never went anywhere. 

The R22 did it’s job and was easy to manoeuvre. Jeannie knew Rodney had chosen it with her in mind and had been strangely touched by the gesture. Even if she’d given him a hard time about her being able to handle something more heavy duty and calling him a secret chauvinist.

She knew he’d been feeling off kilter about Ferenz’s retirement and had offered to find a replacement to help ease the impact of his best friend leaving him. After the Carter debacle, Rodney had purchased the ranch, renamed it Atlas Valley and moved to the middle of nowhere. The garden had come first, and the animals followed later. He had explained that it was an effort to give his life some balance and stop him spending all his waking hours in his lab; not that she knew exactly where the lab was, but she could guess.

While Rodney could and did look after the animals, that was the whole point, it was in the creatures’ best interest that someone other than her brother be responsible for their welfare. He wasn’t cruel, but he did become easily obsessed and critters needed cleaning and feeding, and plants need tending. An added benefit was that Rodney’s sense of responsibility drove him out of the lab more frequently. Knowing someone else was checking on the ranch’s flora and fauna made him more conscious of pulling his weight.

She’d been sceptical of his plans at first and admittedly not as supportive as she should have been, especially once the horses arrived. But Rodney had kept his word and limited himself to three horses at a time. He’d taken old and ill-used racehorses and given them a soft place to finish out their days. The horses were temperamental, cantankerous sods, much like her brother. And fluctuated between wanting attention and wanting to be left alone.

It was by no means profitable, unless someone meeting her brother’s exacting standards bought one of the horses; which had only happened once. Still, he could afford it and it made him happy. She didn’t understand it, but she was glad he was finally being careful with his soul as well as his mind and body.

Jeannie understood the birds even less. They were reared in high-tech, luxurious surroundings, six at a time. Rodney turned his brilliant mind to giving the birds the best upbringing possible and left the dirty work to the ranch manager. Apparently, the exclusivity or eccentricity of their provenance made the meat very valuable and while Rodney ignored that side of the business completely, it was very lucrative. Carnivores were a weird breed.

Jeannie had been very pleased with the ad she’d put together for Atlas Valley; she’d even laughed to herself about how certain aspects of the ranch could be equally applied to her brother.

_Single Canadian rancher seeking companionship and assistance managing ranch. The ranch is 160 acres with beautiful views of local mountains and rivers; maintenance has been arranged elsewhere. Responsibilities would include care of a small garden and a handful of rehabilitated horses and specialty birds reared for meat, taking care of rancher and household duties. A patient nature is required, establishing a bond takes time. Must be able to handle challenging behaviour, a tempestuous temperament and being ignored for long periods of time. Any additional duties to be included by mutual agreement._

_Initial 5 year contract, subject to consent from both parties. Includes room and board and a small monthly stipend for personal expenses. Would also have access to lightweight helicopter and may learn to fly at rancher’s expense. Generous compensation package provided at end of 5 years; rancher’s mate may choose to stay on without formal agreement. Any further contract to be open-ended unless no longer required/desired, terms to be discussed and agreed upon by both parties._

_Intellectuals only as rancher is an exceptional academic. Further study supported and encouraged. Any free time can be used as desired without interference._

_Location is isolated, winter’s can be long and there is potential to be cut off for weeks at time. Must be willing and physically able to fulfil all requirements of the role as set out above and any further as determined by the rancher. Male preferable but women considered, subject to rancher’s approval._

She’d been deliberately vague on the location. Once John had been selected and vetted, she’d sent him more details including pictures of the ranch and Rodney with the animals, so he’d know what he was getting himself into.

Jeannie had misgivings about the 5 years, it seemed excessive to her. But it would take that long for Rodney to warm up to John and John himself seemed to prefer it. She hoped he would stay on at the end of the contract, having to do this again in 5 years’ time would be such a nuisance. Maybe by then they’d prefer a casual arrangement like Moröc’s; that way she wouldn’t be stuck overseeing any contract renegotiations.

She’d held off on giving Rodney any information, knowing how resistant he was to change. John Sheppard was perfect. A combat hardened soldier looking for his own soft place to land. She was confident he could handle her brother and anything else that came up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the positive vibes guys. Internet's a bit iffy at the moment so it's a race against time, hopefully I cant get two chapters up today.
> 
> Jeannie's ad is based on a help wanted sign I spotted at a livestock auction a few weeks ago. The farmer was looking for a couple of assistants and all I remember thinking at the time was: he could've been looking for a new employee or boyfriend. The thought sat in my brain for a bit and this story was born.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the no updates thing this weekend. My wifi saga continues.  
> ISP said it was a problem with the laptop, IT guy said it's not the laptop it's the wifi; they were both wrong.  
> Coms cable 30km south was down affecting tv, landlines and wifi. Got the laptop back and a temporary fix in place so I'll try to get some chapters up today.

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Rodney was again woken by a noise. This time it was the phone and his annoying sister on the other end. Why couldn’t his parents have been satisfied with just him. She’d invited a stranger to his house! Given him details about the ranch and now she was too cowardly to come and face the music, blaming it on the snow.

This was just typical of his sister. She was nearly as smart as him but wouldn’t apply herself fully. She was always taking shortcuts. Instead of going through a normal recruitment process, she posted an ad on a dodgy website and now he’s got some horse pervert in his house!

Rodney snorted. As far as the guy’s intelligence goes, the damn idiot was wandering around in the middle of the night, in pitch black, in a snow storm. Enough said. He was working himself up to a full on rant when the smell of coffee registered and derailed his thoughts. At least the moron had made himself useful.

As he made his way to the kitchen, the smell of coffee was enhanced by an underlying scent of something sweet and spicy, it reminded him that it was late morning and he’d missed dinner before falling into bed last night.

The long legs and skinny ass barley covered by the tiny batman blanket from the couch (left over from the last and only time Ferenz brought his grandbrat for a visit) stopped him in his tracks. The guy was certainly making himself at home!

He must have made some sort of noise because Sheppard jumped about a foot into the air and squealed like a strangled cat. Before he could say anything, however, the guy stutteringly began explaining himself.

“I’m sorry! All my clothes were damp from last night and I thought I’d use the dryer before you woke up, so I could at least be presentable the next time we met.”

Rodney tuned out the chatter and inspected his unwelcome houseguest.  He was young, younger than Rodney had originally thought. Long limbs and impossibly wild dark hair. If the rolling abs and defined arms were any indication, he was also incredibly fit. Rodney himself was no slouch these, ranching was hard work and though his stint as a rancher was at best part time, he’d managed to tone up and lose the pudge. Still, he definitely wasn’t in Sheppard’s league.

Rodney wondered whether he’d be considered a dirty old man if he kept him around just to look at. The place could use some decoration.

He was drawn back to reality when a steaming mug of coffee was placed before him; black, just like he liked it. The plate piled high with sweet rolls appealed to his sweet tooth and looked just as inviting as the display Sheppard had just been making of himself.

“I know you’re allergic to a few things, but I made the rolls from scratch, so you should be safe.”

John started to fidget where he was stood half naked and was giving Rodney the side eye. Rodney paused long enough to indicate Sheppard should take the seat opposite him at the breakfast island and then continued stuffing his face.

* * *

John watched Rodney enjoy the last bite of the last roll and enjoyed the thrill of pleasure that shot through him. He loved to cook, and he loved to watch others enjoy his efforts. Patrick Sheppard thought cooking an unmanly skill. Lucky for John, back in the good old days, he’d been about as much use to his father as a concealed spare tyre in the trunk of car; it’s nice to know it’s there, but no one gives a toss about it until they need it.

During school holidays, while his brother had been ferried from one boring camp to another in preparation for his now seemingly defunct future as the head of the family business, John had been largely left to his own devices. He’d spent many delightful hours down in the kitchen. At first, it’d just been to make sure they remembered to feed him. But Cookie (her actual name) had tired of having him underfoot and put him to work, thus his love of cooking was born.

Cookie had been the only person in the world to care about him after his mom died and he was happy to love something she also loved. Later in life, a therapist had told him he had an unhealthy affinity for the past times of his dead loved ones. He’d given up on therapy after that.

John discreetly watched his husband to be; broad chest and shoulders, big hands and a tempting mouth. He hadn’t missed the admiring looks aimed in his direction either. He felt his confidence return, there may be hope afterall.

He was about to introduce himself when Rodney finished off his last mouthful of coffee and beat him to the punch.

“That wasn’t the worst breakfast I’ve ever had, not the best, but not horrible. Anyway, it’s least you could after forcing me to suffer either the inconvenience of your presence, or the inconvenience of having your frozen remains removed from my front porch.”

John held back a chuckle, confident MacKay wouldn’t appreciate his amusement, but the caustic wit really was quite adorable.

“Well I appreciate you hauling my frozen butt in last night, despite the inconvenience.” John reached a hand across the island. “John Sheppard, at your service.”

“Yes, yes, I know who you are! Ex-pilot and sole heir to the Sheppard Industries mega-fortune. My indolent sister managed to get one thing right with your security check, probably because she got someone else to do it. My question is, why come all the way out here?”

The dryer chose that moment to announce the end of the cycle. John jumped over and fished out some clothes; he used the time to decide how to frame his answer. Probably best to start with a partial truth, MacKay was skittish and he didn’t want to scare him off. But better to start off on the same page.

John walked out into the hallway just outside the kitchen and begun to get dressed. The other man couldn’t see him, but he had an unobstructed view of Rodney’s face.

“Well Dr MacKay, good move dropping the Meredith by the way, I’d have done the same. My father has always been narrowminded and I have no doubt that once we’re hitched, I’ll also be disinherited poste haste. Reclusive genius thing aside, he will find you to be an unsuitable candidate by virtue of you being my husband instead of wife.”

John saw the moment his words registered.

“Oh my stars, you’re crazy!  I knew it, I knew something was going to wrong! Trust my moronic sister to find the most deluded candidate out there. At least I know you are who you say are, small comfort though it be. And now I’m snowed with a lunatic!”

Rodney continued to mumble to himself, but John gathered up his clothes and put them back in his bag, which was right where he’d left it on the couch. He knew Jeannie had been lying to him, she’d been a bit too cagey. She’d promised her brother knew what she was doing and was on board, but she’d definitely left out a few things.

John took a folder out of the side of his bag and headed back to the kitchen. He decided just to be as up front as possible. Not with everything, Rodney was already freaked out and his day was about to get worse, he’d hold off on giving MacKay the full story.

Rodney was still muttering away to himself, but at least he’d managed to clear away the breakfast dishes. Johns slapped the folder down in front of him and reclaimed his own seat at the island.

“You are Dr Rodney MacKay, millionaire, reclusive genius scientist extraordinaire, world renowned scientist until you vanished a few years ago and now retired farmer and horse whisperer. Your sister placed an ad in the seeking connections section of my favourite equine website, trying to find you a husband. They have a pretty high success rate and around 30% divorce rate, so lower than average. I usually don’t indulge, but I was bored and wanted to escape my life for a few hours.”

Rodney’s sputtering interrupted him but when John looked over, Rodney indicated he should continue.

“We corresponded for a bit before she sent me your names, but once the background check came through, I agreed to come out here. About a month ago, I received signed papers from your sister and once I confirmed she was allowed to make this agreement on your behalf, which is weird by the way, I took them to my lawyer and signed the required sections. I took a copy for myself, which is included in that pack in front of you and sent the original back to Jeannie. I thought the forfeit clause was a bit harsh, even if you are rich and can afford it. But giving me the total of 5 years’ stipend plus the lump sum I would’ve received at the end of the 5 years as a one off immediate payment seems a bit excessive.”

John shrugged.

“I mean, if you’re so desperate to get rid of me you can’t even withstand the 6 month trial period stipulated as an alternative to jumping right in, I don’t think you should be punished financially.  But your sister insisted, and as a soon to be former heir, I could use the money.”

John caught his breath and the silence hung heavy around them. A few minutes passed before Rodney quietly got up and left the kitchen.

John sighed. At least he took the folder with him.

From his seat he could see the snow had stopped and even make out a building in the distance. That must be where the animals are kept. During his snooping earlier he’d seen some jackets and a couple of quadbikes in the garage. John thought he should make himself scarce while Rodney processed. And the horses would still need sorting out, snow or no.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rodney maybe [happily?] resigned and John meets the rest of the ranch's inhabitants.

* * *

** CHAPTER FIVE **

Rodney carefully closed and locked his bedroom door. He was tempted to collapse on his bed, but he knew if he lost his shit it’d be better to do it down in his soundproofed lab.

It would be hilarious if he wasn’t so furious. He loved his sister, he did. And he knew she loved him too. But she never could take the time to do things properly. Ad now she’d committed him to only Reeves** knows what. He was kind of resigned to his fate. Jeannie had frequently threatened to marry him off against his will like some prized daughter from the 19th century if he didn’t sort his love life out.

He probably wouldn’t even be that upset if he thought she’d done it deliberately. Afterall, his betrothed was easy on the eyes, and based on his former employment, not too stupid. But John’s narrative persuaded him it was probably an accident. Jeannie wasn’t one to consult a site map.

Furthermore, he still wasn’t convinced that Sheppard wasn’t a plant. It seemed a mite coincidental that they’d been off the grid for a few years (him more so than Jeannie) but the minute his sister pops her head up to pimp him out, they are graced with the presence of a _‘former’_ Air Force pilot? No doubt, details of his past combat missions would be conveniently classified.

It would probably be best to keep an eye on him just in case. Atlas Valley wasn’t exactly connection central and with all the security measures built into the ranch house to satisfy his paranoia, if John was reporting to anyone, they’d soon find out.

No that he was keen to keep John around or get to know him better or anything of the sort. Not after only a few minutes of mostly one-sided conversation. That would be ridiculous.

Rodney made his way down the stairs to the lab. They were another reason for his improved physique. There was an elevator, but it was only used to ferry materials and in emergencies. At least in the lab he could check the cameras and keep an eye out, just in case his [unwanted?] guest started snooping around.

Sat at his desk, he began review the papers from John’s folder.

* * *

 

John sat under the overhang of the barn and watched the horses frolicking in the snow. There were 3 geldings, past their prime and a bit wary. They were very well looked after now, whatever their previous lives had been.

He’d been surprised to see another quadbike parked outside the barn, but when he entered and saw the young man tending to the horses dressed in what appeared to be net stockings and fur boots, he remembered Jeannie mentioning the former manager’s nephew stayed on to help out. Apart from a quiet hello, Moröc didn’t acknowledge his existence.

The horses had eyed his entrance with heavy suspicion and became agitated as he approached. Once he backed off, they returned their attention to Moröc  and John decided to go check on the birds. He’d quickly had to rethink that course of action, emus were very angry birds. Garden it was then.

The whole operation was very impressive. Labelled electronic automated feeding troughs, he figured there must be a way for each trough to know which horse it was feeding. Water held at an ambient temperature and constantly filtered and recycled. One each for the horses, bird and garden. The garden was more like a green house, plants perfectly protected from the elements.

If Rodney designed all this, he must have put a lot of work into it. John had returned to ground level when he heard the quadbike speed away. He’d spent the last couple of hours watching the horses.

As the sky began to darken, he decided to head back. They’d had a late breakfast/brunch and it must be late afternoon by now. He’d better make a start on dinner, if only as a form of self-preservation.

* * *

Rodney stuffed all the papers back into John’s folder. John had included a copy of Jeannie’s ad and all their correspondence.

He could feel his anger toward his sister dissipating. A lot of this misunderstanding was down to differing expectations. Jeannie’s ad had been fairly vague, but because of where it had been posted, when John read it, he saw a request for a spouse/help meet. As a prospective spouse, all his communications were coloured by his perception.

Jeannie had crafted a badly worded ad/job description and was looking for an employee. Based on the timestamps, John had been one of the first to respond. She must have begun disregarding other replies before she could realise her error.

Knowing John’s expectations, his intentions were became clear. However, Jeannie’s perception also coloured her understanding. They were having the same conversation, but about two very different things.

Rodney contemplated phoning Jeannie but changed his mind. She’d be here as soon as the snow let up. That was the great thing about having your own helicopter, you didn’t need the ground clear, just the skies. Besides, she’d enjoy this surprise as much as he’d enjoyed his. He was never going to let her forget it as long as they lived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **”Hubert Reeves is a French Canadian astrophysicist. He is 85 and is currently the Director of the French National Centre for Scientific Research” – so says Wikipedia.  
> I chose to use him because he is the oldest modern astrophysicist that I’ve actually heard of that’s still alive; I think.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John's having a bit of pity party

* * *

** CHAPTER SIX **

John helped himself to a glass of wine, the lasagne was prepped and now he was just waiting for the dough for the garlic bread. With his current tasks complete, his mind returned to his situation.

He was disappointed.

He could stay on at Atlas Valley for at least the next 6 months unless Rodney decided to pay him off; though he still wasn’t sure whether or not he’d take the money.

But he’d been looking forward to having a home, a husband, a family.

He remembered his mom used to talk about how both sets of grandparents had got together and arranged his parents’ marriage. She’d talked about being accepted without expectation and those first heady years getting to know each other and establishing a home; back before his dad became a prick. He’d thought the whole arranged marriage thing was kind of romantic.

Taking a chance on each other, yeah right. He chuckled self-deprecatingly. A few minutes in his company and even a genius could see he wasn’t worth it. He’d always wondered what had caused him to be so unappealing to even his own father, but whatever it was, he’d had it from birth and it was probably too late to get rid of it now.

At least if he stayed at Atlas Valley he’d be around horses and get time to work on that PhD. It was probably more than he deserved.

John thought back to when he’d first heard Rodney Mackay’s name all those years ago; to a pissed off General and people walking on eggshells. The base had been on tenterhooks for weeks. Then things had slowly calmed down, there’d been an almost jubilant atmosphere and instead of the previous panicked disgust, the MacKay name was said with smug disdain. He’d asked around and the things he’d heard made him decide it was best to stay out of it.

It had all started up again a few months before his father gave the Air Force an ultimatum. He’d stuck to his original decision and kept his nose out of it. But when he’d handed in his resignation, his exit brief had included instructions to be on the look out for Dr R MacKay or his sister.

John had been beyond intrigued, but after caving under the pressure from his dad,  the Air Force didn’t deserve his respect or his loyalty. Things became even more interesting when a few weeks later he’d been approached by the General’s personal _‘scientist’_.

* * *

> _A few months ago…_
> 
> _“Major Sheppard, thank you agreeing to meet. I know you must be busy so I won’t waste your time. I have a proposition for you. If you agree to make Sheppard Industry resources available to us, I’m sure I can get the General to reconsider your situation._
> 
> _In the meantime, if you do hear anything regarding MacKay’s whereabouts, please let me know. I could make it worth your while.”_
> 
> She’d been all over him, and he’d promised to think about it just to get rid of her. He’d felt in need of a shower after her visit. He had no desire to go back to the Air Force, in his mind loyalty was a two way street.
> 
> He might have considered it if they’d sent someone else and couched in national security terms. But she reminded him of a tow-headed snake; pretty to look at but deadly if you’re not on your guard.
> 
> Rodney wasn’t a criminal, he wasn’t even American. He had a right to disappear if wished. And John was pretty certain he wouldn’t be happy if he found out the Americans were stalking him. If he appealed to his government, relations across the border could get pretty awkward. No doubt the Canadians wouldn’t be happy to hear the military was harassing one of their eminent minds.
> 
> Her visit had made him about her and the esteemed Dr Rodney MacKay. The conflicting reports about Rodney had been so fascinating, he’d considered tracking him down just to see which was true. He’d changed his mind a few days later when he’d spotted his new ‘security detail’.
> 
> He never did figure out what exactly it was she did for the General.

* * *

With the ad and Jeannie following so closely after her visit, John thought maybe the General was testing him. Even after the background check, and having travelled all the way out here, he’d wondered. He couldn’t even trust his mind from the night before, since he’d been so out of it. The relief when he’d final spotted Rodney in the kitchen this morning was still running through him.

Maybe he should come clean now? That way he and Rodney could at least be friendly, if not friends.

A few hours and an empty bottle of wine later, John topped up the fire and bedded down for the night. He’d eaten alone after Rodney hadn’t even bothered to surface for dinner.

He probably should’ve taken his father up on the trophy wife. At least then he’d have some company for his misery.  


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now we have the General

** CHAPTER SEVEN **

The General looked at the woman in front of him. Big blue eyes, and a lush mouth. Thick blond hair she’s started growing out after he expressed a preference. Tiny waist and curvy hips and a rack that appeared even larger on her small frame. She was beautiful, and she knew it.

He knew what others thought about them, and he’d never addressed the rumours, mostly because it was beneath him as a superior officer but also because it stroked his ego, even if it hadn’t always been true.

She’d never rebuffed his overtures outright, choosing instead to ignore them. That was, until it all kicked off with that obnoxious scientist. She’d assured him that all the research notes and data were hers. Just sour grapes she said, because she’d laughed in his face when he asked her out.

He’d thought it weird at the time, that a man of such repute in his field would stoop to those extremes, but academics could be unbelievably petty. She’d finally responded to his unsubtle hints and they’d become involved soon after that. He’d booted his rival out and not paid him a second thought, until now.

She’d happily carried on disparaging MacKay to anyone who would listen. However now that the higher ups were becoming more insistent in their demands for progress and fresh ideas, suddenly she’d changed her tune.

Here she was telling him it was vital that they track him down. He would never ask, he didn’t really care if she’d swindled the man out of his research by whatever methods she’d deemed necessary.

He was a pragmatist and his best days were behind him. Keeping her sweet would prolong his time at the top, as long as she remained at the top of the scientist food chain. Might even get his foot in the door to become one of the dreaded higher ups. If she needed the neurotic Canadian to do it, then that’s what she’d get.

First though, he needed to understand the situation with Sheppard. He’d never liked him, too pretty for his own good, no respect for his superiors and too soft. The General had to admit grudging respect for how far the pilot had managed to progress with his father actively working against him. Although he’d experienced a vindictive sort of pleasure when the spineless higherups had caved and Sheppard had been forced to resign. He couldn’t wait to become one them, the mindless drones would be dancing to his tune in no time.

“So you met with Sheppard and he agreed to help you track down MacKay?”

She slinked her way over to perch on the side of his desk before answering.

“Not exactly, but he didn’t outright decline, which means tacit consent. He disappeared a few weeks later. I think he’s found MacKay and it will probably be easier to trace his movements since we’d already been following him.”

He nodded silently while she got up to lock the door. He’d already decided to let her carry on and try to locate either Sheppard or MacKay. Afterall, if she looked good, so did he. But there was no harm in letting her try to convince him.

 

* * *

 

Jeannie set the R22 down on the Atlas Valley helipad. She’d set out at soon as the first hint of colour lit up the sky. She knew Rodney worried about her flying in the dark, especially over the mountain. It was a bit reckless but there hadn’t been any fresh snow since late yesterday and the forecast wasn’t reliable. Rather than sitting around waiting a few days, she decided to chance it, it’s not like she had far to go.

She got on the quadbike, glad to see someone (probably Moröc) had remembered to replace the covering she’d ripped in her haste to get away the last time she was here.

She was excited to meet John in person and wondered just how he and her brother were getting along. She hadn’t bother to call ahead, knowing Rodney would probably have been asleep when she set out. He was most likely still in bed, not being a morning person and all.

She’d bet anything it hadn’t even occurred to Rodney to show John one of the guest rooms. The poor man was probably still sleeping on the couch.

Jeannie pulled up to the house and was about to let herself in when a tired looking John greeted her at the door and wordlessly handed her a cup of coffee.

She stepped inside and removed her jacket and gloves before accepting the coffee and following him back to the kitchen.

He gingerly sat at the island and she followed suit before silently watching him finish his own coffee. He set his cup aside and turned those sad eyes of his in her direction before beginning quietly.

“I’m very pleased to meet you at last Jeannie. Yesterday was quite stressful so I had a bottle of wine with dinner and it turned out to have more of a kick than I anticipated so I’m not quite myself”

She snorted quietly into her coffee. not surprising that a former flyboy was a lightweight. Then she felt bad, because most of that stress was her fault. It was even less surprising that he’d been driven to drink after being left to face an unsuspecting Mere….RODNEY alone. At the best of times her brother could drive anyone to the bottle.

“I know that there’s a lot for us to discuss and it would be nice to catch up in person but its probably best if you check on your brother first. He’s been locked in his bedroom since just after lunchtime yesterday and there’s been no sign of him since then.”

That gave her pause. Normally it wouldn’t be cause for concern, but it’s unlikely Rodney would be conducting research with a stranger in the house. John must have cooked since the kitchen was still standing and it’s not like Rodney to turn down a homecooked meal. Maybe having John around had unsettled him more than she thought.

Rather than standing outside his bedroom knocking for hours, Jeannie fished her phone out and tried her brother’s lab. She was just about to give up and try the phone in his bedroom, when she heard him trampling down the hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While my portrayal of the scientist and the General are based (in the loosest of terms) on characters for canon, they will not be named . This is because one of the characters I really like and the other I dislike with so great a passion, for which there is no possible rationale.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John's conscience gets the better of him.

* * *

** CHAPTER EIGHT **

The pain in his neck woke him up. He’d obviously fallen asleep over his desk while trying to decide what to do about Sheppard. Rodney knew his body would make him pay for sleeping hunched over, and he still didn’t know what he was going to do. He knew what he’d like to do; not everyday someone like him got an opportunity like this. It’d be easier to decide if he knew what Sheppard needed.

When he made his way upstairs he could tell it was still pretty early and was just about to get into bed when he picked up the sound the helicopter in the distance.

Damn Jeannie and her bloody surprises! Well she could bloody well wait. If she was gonna force him to be up this early and deal with the drama, then he might as well grab a shower to try and wake himself up a bit. Coffee would help, but he really needed that shower.

He wished she didn’t enjoy turning his life upside down quite so much.

* * *

 

After the shower, Rodney still wasn’t feeling quite awake and couldn’t be bothered to get properly dressed. He donned his dressing gown over his boxers and furry slippers and staggered down the corridor.

As he stumbled into the kitchen, he was surprised to see John already up (though he probably shouldn’t have been). At the sight of him, John appeared to withdraw in to himself, but Rodney wasn’t ready to explore that reaction without coffee.

He smacked his sister on the shoulder by way of greeting on his way to the coffee machine.

They sat in silence while he finished his coffee, which he appreciated. By the end of that first cup, he was feeling a bit more awake. One was good but two would be better, as he got up to help himself to another cup, Rodney remembered John’s folder. He asked Jeannie to fetch it from his bed where he’d left it and decided to take the opportunity to do something he rarely did; apologize.

“Look I didn’t mean to leave to your own devices all day. What you said came as a shock and I meant to come back out for dinner but I fell asleep going through the stuff in that folder you gave me.

I can see how your wires got crossed, you thought it was a marriage proposal and she thought she’d found a new manager for the ranch. We’ll get it all straightened out.”

Ok so it wasn’t much of an apology but at least John perked up a bit.

“I made lasagne with garlic bread for dinner and ended overeating. There was a bottle of wine that didn’t survive, sorry about that”

“What! You made lasagne? Is there any left, please tell me you didn’t scoff the lot! You couldn’t have, you’re too skinny”

John went pink around the ears but at least he’s stopped faceplanting into the worktop.

“I packed the leftovers in the fridge, bread’s in the freezer. There should be enough left for all of us”

Rodney didn’t think his sister deserved any of John’s lasagne, but he didn’t want to appear too greedy.

Jeannie skipped back into the kitchen, way too perky so early in the morning and dumped the folder on the counter before making herself another coffee.

He was about to bring up the files in the folder when she narrowed her eyes at him.

“So, Rodney, did you put John in one of the guest rooms or are you making him sleep in front of the fire like a stray?”

She smiled sweetly but all her teeth were showing.

Shit, it hadn’t even occurred to him.

“Dammit, I completely forgot!”

Rodney turned to John and was about to offer him one of the guest rooms, but Jeannie beat him to it.

“John, I’ve left Rodney’s bedroom door open. You can have one of the rooms on either side, just head down the hallway until you see the open door. Take your stuff and get settled in while I have a word with my brother”

A second later, John left the kitchen and she once again turned her beady eyes on him. He decided to interrupt because no way was this discussion happening without John. He raised his voice enough so it would carry.

“John, just dump your bag in the room for now. We’ll wait for you”

* * *

 

Rodney knew John was self-conscious about the whole embarrassing mess. But he struggled really hard not to laugh at the look on Jeannie’s face when she realised that they were serious and that she had actually posted an ad in the dating section.

He’d get the image from the security tapes later.

While they were hashing out the realities of having John around in any capacity, the man himself got up to make breakfast. John was used to being discussed as if he wasn’t there. As if his very existence was an inconvenience for others to work around.

He’d tuned out Rodney and Jeannie so was very surprised when Rodney came over to ask his opinion while stealing a pancake. His confusion must have shown on his face because suddenly he was being led back to his seat and Jeannie was taking over breakfast.

“John, you need to let us know what you want to do. If you want to stay on here as the manager, that’s entirely doable. I am happy to renegotiate the terms of the contract. And Jennie won’t even complain about having to oversee any changes.

If you think you still want to be married, then I think we can do that too.  But if that’s the case I’d like to get some time to prepare, It doesn’t have to be 6 months but 3 months at least, because as soon as my name’s on file as your husband, the Air Force goons will come snooping around.”

Rodney didn’t miss the way John stiffened at the mention of the Air Force and with a heavy sigh, decided to explain.

“I worked for a scientific research alliance between Canada and America. We were under the purview of an Air Force General and his top scientist, with me as the second in command. We were all working on different projects but reported to her.

I’d tried asking her out a couple of times and then one night she turned up with takeout and a bottle of wine. After that, we spent all our free time together doing couple stuff; the opera, museum, weekends away. We also discussed our research.

I thought everything was fine. Until I tried to discuss my findings with a colleague and he accused me of poaching her research. I checked my lab and my apartment; all my project notes and research were gone. Before I could even get to ask her what the hell she was playing at, I was being dragged over the coals by the General. Words like sexual harassment and prison time ringing in my ears before I was frogmarched off base.

I hightailed to Jeannie’s and we both disappeared. Until my sister decided to write the how to guide for accidentally getting a male order bride.”

 Jeannie raised a token protest at that but otherwise was silent. John decided if Rodney was willing to unburden himself, there’s no way he could withhold information now without coming under suspicion later.

“Rodney, I think you should know the Air Force approached me to help find you, unofficially of course”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clearing the air.

* * *

** CHAPTER NINE **

John sat on the bed in the guest room with clenched fists digging into his thighs and sighed. Why was he always such an idiot?! He never planned to self sabotage, but he did anyway.

After his little bombshell, Jeannie had been right in his face demanding he not do anything to hurt her brother.

He’d been about to grab her by the throat when his surroundings registered, and he managed to abort the action in time. John thought he’d escaped his time in combat relatively unscathed; but he still didn’t like to be surprised. He’d looked at his hands in horror, before fleeing the kitchen.

No doubt about it now, Rodney definitely wouldn’t want him around after this.

He was not expecting the knock at the door.

* * *

 

Jeannie sat in the newly vacated seat and watched John’s back as he practically ran from the kitchen before looking at her brother in horror.

“Shit, I did not think that through! We’ve spoken about this in our emails; how much he hated being sneaked up on. One of the reasons he was looking forward to coming out here was the lack of people meant no one creeping up in his blind spot. I’m such an idiot!”

Rodney was inclined to agree so decided to say nothing.

“He’s such a sweet young man, just looking for somewhere to belong; somewhere he matters. I thought if anyone could understand it would be us. I don’t really think he’s a plant, do you?”

Jeannie was on a roll, berating her own stupidity with no end in sight, so Rodney decided to go check on John who was no doubt, blaming himself. He seemed to be developing protective instincts where John was concerned, though he wasn’t sure why.

He knocked on the guestroom door before entering quality. It was just as he thought. If that wasn’t a posture of self-flagellation, then Rodney wasn’t as smart as he thought he was. He sat on the bed next to John and held one of the clenched fists with both hands.

“We need to talk, ok? And now is as good a time as any while my sister contemplates her own stupidity. We should’ve talked last night, but I fell asleep. Before that, though, what just happened wasn’t your fault. We don’t think you’re a spy. So you have issues with people sneaking up on you, so what! Everyone has issues. Her reaction was just as instinctual as yours. No harm done, ok?

Now for the really fun stuff, feelings. Can you tell me why you would want an ‘arranged’ marriage?”

John was surprised at the question. Surely it would be better to talk about dealing with the Air Force? Still, if it’s what Rodney wanted to know…

“It’s how my mom and dad met, they’re parents arranged it. They were happy, and even after my mom got sick, she could look back at that time with no regrets. I want that happiness, to matter to someone, have my own family. Since I had no family to arrange it for me, I thought by answering Jeannie’s ad, I could maybe arrange it for myself. Find someone to care about who would care about me too.

I thought I had some of that with the Air Force, but at the first sign of trouble, they couldn’t wait to be rid of me. When they approached me about you, I was curious. By all accounts, you’re not afraid to stand up for what you care about, and I was intrigued. When your sister told me who she was, I thought it was a trick by the General to test me. I still wasn’t sure until I got here and saw you for myself.”

Ok. Rodney could work with this.

“So now that you know I’m rude, forgetful and neglectful, would you still consider marriage? We could get engaged but I would need some time to protect us so when our marriage is registered, they can’t touch us.

We’ll use the time to get to know each other a bit better but unless you’re secretly a blonde Air Force scientist in disguise, we’ll be tying the knot in 3 months time. Is that ok?”

John looked at Rodney and wondered what had caused the change of heart. He was about to ask but Rodney seemed to be reading his mind.

“It’s not that I’ve had a change of heart, more like I had some time to think. I’m smart, I don’t abide fools and I’m rich. I’m also ornery and obnoxious. I live in the middle of nowhere with only my research and the occasional visit from my sister to look forward to. I’m not getting any younger and I’m lonely, but I know what I look like and I don’t have much to recommend me.

Then you turn up at my door. You’re young, easy on the eye and can have anyone you want. Yet you want to settle down at Atlas Valley. You have a brain, eventhough it’s hiding under all that hair and you can cook.”

Rodney smirked before continuing.

“You’re honest, you don’t care about my money and you find me intriguing. Did you really think I’d turn you down? I am a genius you know. I’ll never ask for more than you’re ready to give me and we can continue to take our time even after we’re married. Now get over here and let’s celebrate our engagement.”

John wasn’t sure what to expect but Rodney just placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. He tried to pull away, but the next thing he knew their backs were against the headboard and they were cuddling. He tried to move away but Rodney simply held on tighter. Resigned to his fate, John relaxed.

He was just nodding off to sleep when he heard what sounded like “I’ll protect you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No idea where protective Rodney came from. I wrote this chapter after coming off a night shift and that's just where my brain went.   
> I picture this John to be about 5 years younger than Rodney.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you.

* * *

** CHAPTER TEN **

Rodney awoke to find himself slumped against the headboard of the bed in the guest room with John cuddled over his nowhere half.  John’s head was in his lap, fluffy hair tickling his stomach and arms wrapped tightly round one of his legs.  He was surprisingly comfortable and wondered what had woken him Jeannie new popped her head round the door.

“You must be starving since we never actually had breakfast, so I made some lunch. Well, actually I reheated the rest of John’s lasagne, and I found the garlic bread in the freezer, so you should come have some before it gets cold.”

Having said her piece, she left as quietly as she had come, leaving Rodney the responsibility of waking John.  Seeing John all soft-eyed and sleep mussed, the Rodney felt a bit of movement somewhere too close to John’s pink lips for comfort.  He hastily got up and made his way to the ensuite to freshen up.

The enticing hint of colour in those sharp cheekbones, told Rodney his actions hadn’t been missed.  Both men chose to ignore it and after John had his time at the facilities they made their way back to the kitchen.  Rodney thought idly to himself, he’d never used his kitchen so much.

* * *

 

 

By the time Jeannie had distracted Rodney with the promise of dessert and swiped the last bit of garlic bread to mop the last of her lasagne, John was practically vibrating with shy pleasure and the tips of his ears were bright red. His embarrassed admission that he wasn’t very good at sweet stuff, hadn’t seem to dim the pleasure of seeing his food being enjoyed.

Rodney’s offhand comment that he was a decent baker and would happily keep them in sweets if John continued to cook, earned him a look of obvious awe mixed with something else Rodney wasn’t sure he was comfortable seeing while in such close proximity to his sister.

He thought he was getting hints of something from John but if that was the case they would need to have pretty frank discussion. And not with his sister around. If he played this just right, maybe they could both get what they need. The softly softly approach was not his _mode de fonctionnement,_ but for John he would try.

Remembering his time with the backstabbing blonde filled him with an odd mixture of shameful pride. Shame, because he’d been determined to have her no matter what, eventhough he knew he’d never be satisfied by anything she had offer. And pride at the thought of how desperate she must be to get her hands on him after all this time. He’d gotten into the habit of keeping chunks of his research on his private server. His sister was the only other person who knew about it and had teased him mercilessly about his paranoia. But as this situation proved, it’s not paranoia if they really are after you.

_La traîtresse_ had got the bulk of his research, enough to gain little rewards along the way. But the final payoff would remain out of her reach. She was smart but not on his level and would never manage to figure out the whole picture without his help. It amused him immensely to imagine her as a hamster in a cage; spinning her wheels but never getting very far.

He’d been planning on ignoring her; the longer he stayed invisible, continuing his research publishing under a pseudonym, the longer she would twist in the wind. But if they already had John on their radar, Rodney knew he’d need to take steps to protect his fiancé.

* * *

 

 

They took their coffees and sat in front of the fire to discuss their options.

Rodney sat on couch while Jeannie sat in the armchair opposite. John had stood at the window for a while before seeming to come to a decision. For a moment, it looked like he wanted to sit next to Rodney. But then he changed trajectory and lowered himself to the floor next to Rodney’s feet , his shoulder barely brushing Rodney’s leg.

Jeannie’s eyebrows migrated to her hairline, but Rodney carried on the conversation as if nothing untoward had occurred. John relaxed in slow increments, but by the time they’d agreed that Jeannie would hang around for the rest of the week, his head was in Rodney’s lap and his arms were loosely wrapped around Rodney’s leg.

The position was very similar how they’d been arranged before Jeannie woke them for lunch (only now John was sitting up) and Rodney gently carded his fingers through fluffy hair. Jeannie went off to have a nap of her own; she’d had a very early start, but Rodney was content to just exist in his warm bubble with John at his feet. At least for a little while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How many times can I wake Rodney up; anyone else keeping track?
> 
> Translations: so says google   
> mode de fonctionnement – normal way of working   
> la traîtresse (f.) – betrayer of one’s ally


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeannie's imagination takes her to strange places.

* * *

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Jeannie lay on her bed, ears straining in the silence. She’d left her door ajar, enough so she could hear anything but the most whispered of conversations, but not so much that it would be obvious she’d been eavesdropping.

Something was going on between John and her brother and she needed to know what it was, so she could protect them both. From each other if necessary. The fact that it might give her some blackmail material to get her out from under the current shambles she’d created was incidental.

She’d found her brother a husband!

Jeannie had no doubt they’d be getting hitched. She hadn’t missed the smouldering looks flying back and forth over lunch. And now John was kneeling at her brother’s feet like some worshipful acolyte. She’s not sure what John sees in him.

Rodney is a toad and John’s the exiled princess who tries to turn him into a toadly prince (or should that be a princely toad?) by kissing him. Either way, YUCK!!

 Rodney definitely got the better end of the deal; a young, lithe husband, nice to look at and not soft in the brain.

But the fact remains, she’d posted an ad in the personals instead of the help wanted section. Her brother would never let her forget it.

Never.

She’d probably be the same if the shoe was on the other foot, but it doesn’t mean she has to like it.

A pulse of selfish disappointment washes through her and Jeannie indulges for a second before ruthlessly stamping it out. In her secret heart she’d fancifully considered dipping a toe or two in the Sheppard gene pool. But as usual, her brother gets to keep all the cool toys.

Still, in all likelihood Rodney will want to have dozens of fluffy-haired babies, maybe they can both get what they want.

Hearing that the Air Force had approached John had given a moment of sheer panic. She was sure there was more to Rodney’s stolen research than he was letting on. Maybe it was classified or maybe it that dangerous. Either way she knew she hadn’t heard the full story.

Jeannie hoped the military weren’t keeping too close an eye on John. Once they’d begun conversing, she hadn’t been very discreet and had given him all sorts of details about their little family. If they got a hold of his online history, they would know exactly where to find her brother.

Not only that, but they’d also know that John had decided to keep the knowledge of Rodney’s whereabouts to himself. His government seemed pretty quick to levy accusations of treason. It was probably a good thing that they’d decided to get hitched. The sooner the better really.

Jeannie lets her mind wander and her imagination conjures a scene with Rodney as the roughened desert farmer waiting at the station for his new city bride; they’ll marry as soon as she arrives before he whisks her away out to the wilds to ravish her. When an image of john in billowing skirts with a heaving bosom steps out a horse drawn carriage; Jeannie decides she really does need a nap.

* * *

 

Anchored to Rodney, John allowed his mind to float away. He wasn’t quite asleep, but the hypnotic feeling of fingers massaging his scalp kept him nice and relaxed.

Rodney knew exactly what he needed.

He was technically engaged now and would have liked something to commemorate the occasion. Not necessarily a ring, but he wondered whether Rodney would be willing to get him something to prove it was real.

He would appreciate anything Rodney got him, but couldn’t help but want something blatant and hard to miss, a sure sign of…ownership? He was tired of fighting for himself, and if he belonged to Rodney, then Rodney would fight for him. It’d be nice to have someone in his corner for a change.

* * *

Rodney ran his hand through John’s hair and admired the long graceful line of his neck. He was tempted to take a firm grip and make John look up at him through those lush lashes, but he was so relaxed.

Rodney wondered if John would be willing to accept a promise collar instead an engagement ring. They really needed to talk. He was committed to marrying John now, he’d given his word. And while things looked promising, it wouldn’t do to get his hopes up.

Besides, they needed to be responsible and have a proper negotiation session or three; especially if John was as inexperienced as he suspected.

He’d have to watch himself and not take advantage.

* * *

Moröc sat in the caretaker’s cabin quietly seething. He’d been coming around with his uncle for years waiting for Dr MacKay to pay him a little attention. Years!

And now that Ferenze was gone, he’d thought he’d finally have a shot. Only Dr MacKay’s went and found that skinny bitch who looks like he’s one meal away from starvation, and there’s no way he’ll be able to resist.

But Moröc would take care of that interloper. His friend at the U had mentioned military types coming around asking for information on the Doc’s whereabouts and willing to pay big. But Moröc would never give Dr MacKay up.

They might be interested in his bit of fluff though, since he was American. It might take a week or so but as soon as the roads were clear, Moröc would make sure that scrawny gatecrasher was gone for good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter almost didn't make it. Long weekend at the beach with gorgeous weather and even more gorgeous people. An enthusiastic came of beach volleyball and my poor laptop got drenched.  
> I was forced to spend a few hours in the company of a really cute brunette while she worked her magic so I'd be able to upload this today. I hope you appreciate my sacrifice.  
> You're welcome.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moröc underestimates John.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos and comments guys. I hope you're enjoying this as much as I am.  
> Also as a thank you, there'll be two longer length chapters today since in a roundabout way you guys were responsible for my very nice date at the gelateria with the cute brunette who revived my laptop.

* * *

** CHAPTER TWELVE **

Where was the little bastard hiding?! She knew he was smart, but he wasn't exactly a man of the world, how the hell did he manage to evade her so effectively?

Once she got her hands on him again, he was never getting out from under this rock.

But she couldn't afford to waste much more time looking for him, she needed answers---and soon.

If she'd known it was gonna take this long to resolve the Rodney situation, she never would have started humping that greasy old General. And now, to add insult injury, she had to stand in his office while he gave her a dressing down in front of his superiors.

Shit like this tended to roll downhill, and her minions would soon be on the receiving end of a verbal smackdown similar to the one she’d just received.; but it gave her a feeling of grim satisfaction to picture the General receiving a reaming of his own.

The old goat had nearly outlived his usefulness, but she needed to have Rodney back under control before she could put him out to pasture. Once her place at the top was firmly cemented and Rodney was back under her thumb, she’d see to it that the pompous ass and his geriatric brigade were permanently retired.

She might not be as smart as MacKay, but brains weren’t everything. If they were, the little weasel wouldn’t be hiding in a rathole right now.

Keeping MacKay in longterm captivity wasn’t really an option. His big brain would find a way to gain his freedom, even if she used his sister as collateral to prevent him from becoming too rebellious. She’d probably have to actually go all the way and seal the deal this time to keep him on side and was resigned to her fate. Who knows, it might not actually be that bad.

Couldn’t be any worse than languishing under the sweaty bulk of the General; sometimes she had to work really hard to keep her real feelings hidden. Although, watching him get royally rogered by one of her geekiest techs made up for all the horrors. She probably wouldn’t be able to trick him into another threesome anytime soon, but it’d be worth it to try.

She had feelers out with her allies or those in the scientific community gullible enough to accept the half-assed story she’d concocted. Multiple eyes and ears were searching for one Dr M.R MacKay.

Where the hell was he?!

* * *

Moröc sent the text to the number his friend had sent him before hopping out the driver’s seat and heading to the back of the van. He hadn’t even bothered to shut off the engine; he wouldn’t be stopping for very long.

He couldn’t afford for his absence to be discovered if Rodney noticed his floozy was missing and came looking.  He’d got the number from his friend before going to check on the horses and had been trying to decide when it would be best to make his move. When he’d seen John approaching on the quadbike, he’d made a snap decision. The snow had been cleared for days, he’d take a chance on the roads; anything to get rid of the competition.

The idiot had gone down like a bag of blocks and had been completely checked out of reality after a simple tap to the head. Moröc snorted: What a wuss!

He’d driven the dead weight to his cabin on the back of the quadbike, before loading it into the van he used to make Atlas Valley collections and deliveries. Luckily, Dr MacKay didn’t like to be disturbed by random comings and goings, so he’d been able to drive off the ranch without a soul realising.

Moröc had been driving for a few hours before he decided to dump the body in the woods just outside of Clearwater and have the military pick him up. He'd be long gone by the time they showed up, and back at the ranch before anyone knew anything with amiss.

* * *

John woke with a start and his head punished him for the movement. He knew immediately he’d most likely have a concussion [having experienced his fair share over the years] and when he touched the sore spot on his head, his fingers were tacky with blood.

What the hell had happened to him?!

_A few hours ago….._

It had been a couple of days since the last of the snow had fallen and stuff on the ground had begun to melt. In fact, they seemed to be experiencing a late resurgence of summer. The roads were probably clear, even if though the ranch would take a while longer to be clear of all the white stuff.

John had been going a little stir crazy being cooped up in the cabin with Rodney and Jeannie, who seemed to randomly oscillate between sarcastic affection and biting retorts. Initially, it had seemed like a good idea to have Jeannie hang around to act as a buffer between him and Rodney. But they seemed to be managing fine without her. In fact, after a couple of instances where she’d interrupted them when it felt like they’d been on the brink of some profound discovery, she became more of a hindrance than a help. He’d been about to say exactly that to Rodney when the two siblings began another round of barbed insults. John decided to take one of the quadbikes out and look in on the animals and he hadn’t even needed to take his jacket, or the phone that was in its pocket.

When he got to the barn, Moröc’s quadbike had been parked up. He’d pulled up next to it, eager to get a chance to talk to the young man about the ranch and the animals. He actually felt a bit guilty, their first meeting had been very short and John felt that was mostly his fault. He’d been irrationally jealous that the young man with his net stockings and fur boots had had Rodney all to himself and thought his attitude had maybe come across and put Moröc off.

But when John entered the barn, he’d been clocked pretty good, and that was the last thing he remembered.

It wasn’t until a sudden lurch threw him to the side and pulled him out of his musings, that John realised he was in a van---and they’d been moving.

But they’d just stopped.

The abrupt stop had really jostled his already sore head, and John was in the middle of fighting down some very persistent nausea when the van doors opened, and he was dragged by his feet out into the snow.

He’d just managed to turn over unsteadily onto his hands and knees when Moröc’s image swam into the slightly swirly haze that was his vision. When his brain finally caught up with what Moröc being there meant, instinct took over. When the adrenaline wore off and the nausea reared its ugly head again, Moröc was out cold at his feet.

John climbed into the driver’s seat of the van, it was nice and toasty inside since the engine had been left running. He locked the doors and took a minute to swallow down some bile before deciding what to do.

He didn’t know how long he’d been unconscious our how long Moröc had been driving.

He didn’t where or how far away from Rodney he was.

He didn’t have his phone, nor did he feel up to going back out into the snow to try and hunt down Moröc’s.

And he wasn’t certain he could even drive safely, his vision was still doing that swirly thing. But it beat waiting for Moröc to wake up, or for some well-meaning passer-by to call the police.

With that in mind, John put the van in gear and headed up the road. The next town couldn’t be that far away. He’d need to ditch the van soon, just in case someone decided to report it missing.

* * *

He’d been driving for about 10 minutes when the greenery of trees gave way to houses and he nearly took a fence out in an effort to pull off the road. His eyes were heavy and the pounding in his head had become surround sound, but John knew he couldn’t sleep.

The front seat of the van was filled with all sorts of Atlas Valley paraphernalia and he started rooting around in the hopes of finding something useful. Imagine his surprise when the centre console turned out to be what looked like a pretty slick ham radio setup.

He hadn’t noticed any antennae when getting into the van and was too weary now to check. But Atlas Valley was far from pretty much everywhere and since the van appeared to be ranch property, it would no doubt have the best equipment available.

Mentally crossing his fingers, John began to try and raise someone on the other end. Hopefully he was still within range and hopefully Rodney was listening.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Air Force is about to get some bad press.

* * *

** CHAPTER THIRTEEN **

After getting sucked into the usual pattern of rivalry and animosity with his sister, Rodney had guiltily let John storm off to the barn without argument. But he’d been out there for hours and Rodney was getting hungry!

To be honest, John’s absence hadn’t even really registered, and they’d carried on for a while longer before he’d won the argument and Jeannie had uttered a disgusted huff before storming off to her office. It was in the east facing part of the house and had its own section of wraparound porch and a breath-taking view of the mountains in the distance [so he’d been told].

With his sister safely ensconced in her office, Rodney felt secure enough to spend some time working in his lab. It’s not like Jeannie was stupid, she’d probably sussed where his lab, though they’d never explicitly discussed it.

He was a paranoid bastard and his secret lab was in no danger of discovery. The security of his bedroom was on par with the rest of the house and the false wall wouldn’t even retract if his bedroom door was open. When the access panel was used, his bedroom door locked automatically.

Rodney was taking a coffee break and considering going to get John from the barn when a seldom used alarm went off in his lab, alerting him that someone was trying to raise him on the ranch van’s radio system.

He’d installed it himself and only Ferenz and Moröc knew it was there. But they didn’t have any scheduled deliveries so what was the little slacker doing with his van!

“Moröc how may times have I told you not to take my van for a joyride!”

Rodney was annoyed and prepared to let the weedhead have it when John’s voice came over the static.

“Rodney? I could use some help, my head hurts and I need to move the van cos Moröc’s gonna wake up soon.”

Rodney as confused. John was with Moröc?

“John are you hurt, were you in an accident? Where are you?”

It took some time and coaxing to get the story out him. John was obviously injured and confused. But once he’d managed to discover John’s location [he cursed his decision not to install a Nav system, but they could be used to track you] Rodney got Jeannie and took the helicopter to John’s location.

It had taken them just over an hour to find where John had left Moröc; it was kind of hard to miss with all the SUVs and police cars about. They tried not to get too close, but no one paid them any mind. Helicopters were a regular occurrence out here; all the ranches used them, it was much easier to cover a larger distance with a chopper.

Jeannie had played pilot and Rodney had used binoculars to seek out john and the van. He’d managed to drive it a bit further along into a clearing in the woods that wasn’t really visible from the road.

Jeannie had barely set the R22 down just long enough for Rodney to jump out before heading off to circle around for a while. John would need medical attention and the health centre was close enough for him to drive. Once John had been seen to, Rodney contacted Jeannie and asked her to set the chopper down in an empty field a few miles further up the road.

He would fly John back to the ranch and put him to bed as soon as possible. Jeannie would drive the van back and they’d make a plan of action. If Moröc had somehow found a way to contact the Air Force, then it wouldn’t be long before they found their way here and Rodney needed to prepare.

Once John was a bit more lucid, maybe he’d be able to shed some light on Moröc’s motivations.

* * *

Jeannie set the R22 down in the field Rodney indicated and waited for the two men to show up. She didn’t understand what was going on.

Sure, Moröc was a lazy layabout who’d be ‘working’ on his doctorate for years as an excuse not to do any real work. But he seemed so harmless, kidnapping John was just crazy!. What did he plan to do with him?

When the van drove up and she finally got a look at John, thoughts of why lost importance. John looked horrible; he looked pale and washed out with bruised and swollen circles under his eyes and a bulky bandage all round his head. He also appeared to be unsteady on his feet and almost took a face dive when getting out of the van.

Rodney was so livid he was almost non-verbal and Jeannie hoped Moröc found himself elsewhere for a few days, or he might get himself blown up. She’d have to be the one to break the news to Ferenz, her brother was never tactful, and his fury would make things worse. Hopefully, Ferenz might shed some light on  Moröc’s behaviour.

As she got into the van and watched Rodney and John lift-off, she wondered whether she should stop at the site on the way back and see if she could get some information on what was going on. It was a risk, if Moröc was still on site he might recognise her. The van was just plain black, but the interior had been seriously modified and Atlas Valley stuff was all over it.

The last thing she wanted to do was bring police attention down on them. She decided to take a more circuitous route and avoid the excitement; it wasn’t that much further.

On the way back she stopped to pick up a few essentials including Rodney’s favourite frozen pizza; no one would be cooking tonight. When she got back, the house was quiet, and she put a couple of pizzas in the oven before going in search of her brother.

Unsurprisingly, he was in John’s room, keeping an eye on him while he slept. He didn’t look up from his laptop, but Jeannie was reluctant let either him or John out of her sight, so she took a seat in the chair in the corner.

“Pizzas are in the oven.”

Her statement was met with a long silence broken only by the sound of Rodney tapping away at the laptop keys and she wondered if he’d even heard her. She was about to repeat herself when he finally looked up.

“Good. By the time their ready John will be due to wake up for his next dose of tablets. I can try with a slice or two of pizza.

My contact in the government said no activity has been sanctioned in our area so if the American military are here, then they’re acting without permission and in direct violation of Canadian law.”

Rodney went on to explain how he’d spotted the local tv reporter at the health centre looking bored as anything and had just sent her an email explaining secret US military operations on Canadian soil. He had no doubt the reporter would be making her way down the BC-97 with an appropriate sense of urgency.

He’d also told his government contact to look out for the news story and once it hit the airwaves, to release their own documents regarding Rodney’s ill treatment at the hands of the US Air Force. It was basically a name and shame dossier complete with pictures. That way, none of his former ‘team’ would be able to sneak in under the radar for any unsavoury activities.

The best part is it would get his countrymen up in arms about the high-handedness of their North American neighbours; and other countries would jump on the bandwagon.  Most countries wouldn’t care about the plight of a few scientists, but they’d definitely care about the loss of intellectual property rights and the financial gains that went along with it.

* * *

The General girded his metaphorical loins and headed upstairs. He’d caught the news clip of footage of his men doing something they shouldn’t have been doing, somewhere they definitely shouldn’t have been. When the call came down, he knew it was going to be pretty painful. It didn’t matter that he had no idea his men were even in Canada; not that he could admit that either. It wouldn’t do for anyone to discover he’d given a scientist such complete control of military assets. No, he was just going to have to weather this particular storm in stoic silence.

When the second story broke about the Canadian-American Research Alliance and its mistreatment of a Canadian citizen, he was already in a meeting being dragged across hot coals. He never got to see his military mugshot on prime time tv.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2nd date guys :) and all because I took my laptop to the beach to finish chapter 11.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone is going to get the blame for this.

* * *

** CHAPTER FOURTEEN **

She was so angry she could scream! How dare they detain her!

The General better hurry up and get her out. She’d got a bead on MacKay’s location after his ranch hand had tried to turn Sheppard in and got detained by the local police for his trouble. Someone at the university knew him though and gave the name of the ranch where he lived and worked. She’d been about to meet up with the guys she’d sent ahead before paying this ranch a visit.

But she’d been swarmed by police as soon as her feet hit the tarmac and no one was telling her anything. At least they’d allowed her a phone call. Now she just had to wait for the General to do his thing.

* * *

The general staggered from the meeting room feeling like he’d been on the losing end of a knockdown, drag out street fight. He’d always thought the higher ups were a bunch of candy-assed, washed up has-beens. But the old bastards could certainly put the boot in when they wanted to; and they’d been dying to teach him a real lesson for ages.

President and Prime Minister were arranging emergency talks, and everyone was looking for somewhere to point the finger. She’d really screwed the pooch and it looked like he was going be the one to pay the piper.

As he staggered back to his office to recover with a stiff drink, the second in command for the scientists [the role previously belonging to MacKay] approached him with a very worried look on his face.

Shit, his meeting had only been about 3 hours; what the hell had she done now!

* * *

Having received a full report about what his pet scientist had been up to while he’d had his eye on other things, the General relaxed with a smile and poured himself and indulgent glass of Kentucky’s finest.

Damn MacKay releasing his photo to the press! Damage control was gonna be tricky; his bosses wouldn't like the program coming under so much scrutiny. If he played it just right, fudged the truth a bit, maybe he could lay it all at her door.

Seems his little astrophysicist would serve one last important purpose afterall. As he made his way back upstairs, he thought how best to spin this. She’d got herself caught by the Canadians, so she deserved to rot.

If he left her in the hands of the Canadians and offered MacKay her job, he might be able to salvage this. With Mackay at the helm, the higher ups would get the results they’d been promised; MacKay would get the money and recognition he’d been cheated out of; the Canadians would get to do whatever they wanted with her _and_ have their top scientist in charge of the Research Alliance, and the General would get to keep his nice cushy job in charge. Everyone would be happy, well almost everyone. But she’d had her chance and she’d blown it, her time was up.

He didn’t even feel guilty since he knew she was planning to throw him over as soon as she didn’t need him anymore. Unlucky for her, he didn’t need her first.

* * *

 

Jeannie sat in the chair by John’s bed and listened out for her brother. John had slept badly last night and looked even worse today. She’d tried to talk her brother out of meeting the reporter or even postponing it until John was back on is feet. But Rodney was adamant that they needed to capitalise on the current wave of anti-American public opinion before the furore died down. In deference to her concerns about John’s safety, he’d agreed to give the reporter the public gate access [from there you can’t even see the ranch house] and meet her at the Moröc’s cabin.

John was due to wake up in an hour and she hoped Rodney would be back by then. They’d learnt the hard way that John wouldn’t settle if he couldn’t see Rodney when he woke up.

An end was nearly in sight and Jeannie was glad no one else had been hurt. And this whole debacle had seemed to bind John and Rodney closer together. They were almost clingy in their need to be with each other now.

This would all be resolved soon and then there’d be no reason to delay their marriage. She knew getting hitched would make John feel better. And though he wouldn’t admit it, it would make her brother feel better too.

She heard the front door close and listened to Rodney steps trump their way down the hall. She checked the clock and relaxed, twenty to minutes to spare.

* * *

 

Moröc sat in his cell and contemplated the last two days. He had no idea what he’d been thinking! He’d let his jealousy get the better of him, eventhough he knew Dr MacKay never saw him like that. He was lucky they weren’t pressing charges and hoped he hadn’t hurt the American too badly.

He felt another wave of shame wash through him as he thought if his uncle Ferenz having to cut his retirement world tour short to rescue him from prison, just to spare his mom the stress. He hadn’t even thought how his being arrested might affect her.

He was a poor excuse for a son, maybe it was time he really did something with his life. He’d have to figure it out soon as there’s no way Dr MacKay would take him back at Atlas Valley and he couldn’t survive living at home for too long.

Moröc couldt believe it when uncle Ferenz had told him Atlas Valley would be giving him three months pay in lieu of his notice period. With Ferenz retired, his mom was reliant on his salary and if they were careful, three months wages could last nearly six months. He had time to sort himself out.

One of the Sheriff’s deputies had been giving him a pretty thorough once over and when he politely requested pen and paper, he also received a small cup of hot chocolate. He accepted the paper cup with a wink and sat down to draft his apology to Dr MacKay. Maybe things were looking up for him afterall.

* * *

Siberia?! They were sending her to a research outpost in Siberia.

She’d been absolutely stunned when she’d heard the news and if she’d been standing, she would have ended up on the floor when her legs gave out.

She should’ve expected the General to turn on her, but the thought hadn’t occurred to her at all. Not until a Prime Minister’s aide had handed her a stack of papers to sign and started prattling on about bloody Siberia.

She’d been left languishing in a holding cell for nearly a week and since no one would tell her anything, she had no idea what was going on in the outside world. When she’d realised the well dressed young man was here to see her, she’d been sure the General had sent him to rescue her from the boredom that was Canadian incarceration.

She’d been almost stupefied with disbelief when she realised he wasn’t here to secure her release, but to oversee her transfer to the Russians.

Based on what she able to glean from the stack of papers before they were shoved back into a briefcase and out of sight, MacKay was taking over her role in the Research Alliance and she was being sent to Siberia in exchange for someone called Zelenka that Rodney had personally requested. The US were bending over backwards to facilitate the exchange. Couldn’t wait to wash their hands of her it seemed.

For the hundredth time she wished she’d had the good sense to take her leverage with her on this trip across the border. But she’d been in a hurry and confident that it wouldn’t take long. It was all lost to her now. No doubt the General had sent someone to raid her quarters once he’d caught wind of her incarceration; he was probably in possession of all her blackmail material. Minus his file of course, no doubt he’d burnt that at the first opportunity.

She shouldn’t have teased about him about the leverage she had on him and others. He wouldn’t be coming to her aid anytime soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to popkin16; your comments cheered me up immensely after suffering through a surprise test first thing this morning.  
> Winding up now, have to get this finished before this final university session is over and I'm back on ward rotation. Only one or two chapters to go.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John gets something he' always secreted wanted.

* * *

** CHAPTER FIFTEEN **

John sat in front of the mirror without a stitch of clothes on and inspected his neck for the umpteenth time.

He’d still been feeling pretty weak and out of it when the reporters had finally discovered just who was living at Atlas Valley Ranch and descended en masse. They’d quietly relocated to Jeannie’s quaint little cottage, but for John most of the journey was a blur.

He’d perked up considerably the next day and had enacted an epic day of pouting when Jeannie and Rodney had ditched him to go into the city. Eventhough later he begrudgingly admitted he’d started to flag in the afternoon and wouldn’t have been able to handle a day trip.

By dinnertime he’d been back in good spirits so there was nothing to spoil the mood when Rodney presented him with a square wooden box with intricate carvings on the lid. They’d been sat on the back porch after dinner chatting idly and enjoying the sunset, when suddenly Rodney had gone quiet.

John had looked over at him to check he was ok and had been presented with the box in response to his query. He’d opened the box to see what was inside and had found himself kneeling at Rodney’s feet, right there on the porch, collar in hand before his brain had even finished processing what he was seeing.

He’d gone back to that floaty place in his head when Rodney attached the collar and it had taken a while for him to come back to himself. They’d gone to bed and talked until he fell asleep. He’d fallen asleep next to Rodney and woken up sprawled all over him. John had felt a bit embarrassed, but Rodney didn’t seem to mind. He’d promised they’d could sleep together from now on.

They’d finally had that talk they’d been postponing and John had been so happy, his eyes may have leaked again but Rodney had kissed him on the forehead and held him until he calmed down. He’d never felt so cherished.

John brought his thoughts back to the present and couldn’t help but stroke his collar. It was matte black and two-tiered and encrusted with black diamonds along the top and bottom edges. There was a buckle in the centre for a leash to be attached and it also had a longer attachment for his dog tags. It wasn’t flashy, but it was BIG, you couldn’t miss it. John Loved it; it was perfect.

It snapped into place via a lock at the back that required a series of complicated clicks that only Rodney knew. The inner lining that sat against his skin was treated latex and it came with an appendage that could be used to clean the area in the shower. The collar only needed to be removed once a week which was good thing, since only Rodney could unlock it.

Rodney was smug, John was happy and Jeannie was ready for them to get lost.

The only damper on their happiness was that Rodney still wanted to wait the three months to get married. John was kind of pissed off about that. He’d finally told Rodney about his inexperience and they’d agreed to hang onto his cherry until after the wedding but that was before John knew he’d have to wait 3 months. He’d waited all these years and now he had a collar and he _still_ couldn’t get laid. Bloody stubborn Canadians!

* * *

Rodney loaded up the tray with muffins and coffee and headed back their room. He’d be flying them back to Atlas Valley today in the new helicopter he’d bought for John, though he hadn’t told anyone about that yet. They needed their own space and Jeannie would be glad to see the back of them.

He knew John was disappointed about postponing the wedding. But apart from Ferenz, Radek was the only other close friend he had. He’d submitted an application for asylum in Canada and it had to go through all the official channels. It was merely a formality but since Radek was in effect defecting, all the proprieties had to be observed. This would avoid problems later should anyone attempt to hassle Radek or attack the research program that way.

It also gave him time to sort out John’s papers as well, though he was sure this hadn’t occurred to John yet. But the General was still in charge of the program, although Rodney’s demands had ensured he didn’t have sole oversight. He’d wanted to be rid of the General completely, but as his sister pointed out, sometimes it was better the devil you know. While he’d have no direct power over Rodney, there was no doubt that the General would try to get at John and use him to control Rodney. It would be better for John to have Canadian citizenship to fall back on before the next time they set foot on American soil.

He'd accepted the position as the Head of Scientific Research the program had offered him on the proviso that he would execute his duties remotely with minimum on site presence required and Zelenka as his representative on site. That way he’d have someone he trusted in charge and he could significantly reduce the number of opportunities the General had to stab him in the back.

More importantly, it would give him and John time to find their rhythm. Rodney wanted to protect John and John wanted to let him. John wanted to take care of Rodney and Rodney wanted to let him. They just needed to find their boundaries and that came with time.

Rodney entered the bedroom he was sharing with John and nearly dropped the tray he was carrying as he took in the spectacle before him. John was in front of the mirror caressing his collar ---- again. And he was naked --- again.

Rodney put the tray on the bedside table and turned on the tv to distract himself. If John persisted in walking around naked but for Rodney’s collar, it was going to be a very long and torturous 3 months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one more after this :)


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wedding! Angst and a happy ending.
> 
> We wake Rodney up one last time, for old times sake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While this is only my second attempt at fanfic, I don’t think I’ll ever write anything other than a happy ending. I appreciate the creative depth it takes to pull it off but it’s not for me. I see enough bad stuff in real life, I don’t want that to be my focus in my down time as well. Though the characters aren’t real, in the story, in the moment, they're real to me and I want them to have good lives.

* * *

** CHAPTER SIXTEEN **

_Two months later…….._

Jeannie was on her way to pick up Zelenka from the airport. She’d made sure to find time in her schedule to do it since she was sure her brother would forget.

She was bit nervous to meet him face to face and when the butterflies in her stomach started acting up, she told herself to stop being silly. They’d been emailing [flirting?] back and forth the last six weeks. He’d initially contacted after he emailed Rodney and got no reply. They’d carried on corresponding and things had just developed from there.

It was nice to see her brother being normal in this at least. She was glad he got to experience what it was like to be so caught up in the one you love to the exclusion of all else. John’s papers had come through first and he now had dual citizenship with the USA and Canada. A week later, Radek’s status had been confirmed and John had demanded they bring the wedding date forward.

Rodney had argued the sheer illogic of changing everything for the sake of one month. At first, he’d been adamant in his stance, but it surprised no one when he finally caved to John’s demands. Especially after she’d seen John coming out Rodney’ bedroom with swollen lips and a blissed out look on his face, but she tried not to think about that too much.

Yep. Rodney’s resolve had sunk faster than the titanic and they’d ended up cancelling everything and arranging to hold the ceremony at the ranch. There were only two days to go and Rodney was running around trying to make everything perfect for John. The more manic he became, the more serene John appeared, it was quite disconcerting.

Still, Rodney’s mania had given her and John time to solidify their relationship; he really was quite the sweetheart and she was so pleased for the them both. Eventhough he’d teased her mercilessly about her online romance with Radek, he’d still suggested some really good ideas for virtual dates. He’d even managed to secretly track down Radek’s phone number and give him the shovel talk --- in Russian. She’d been equal parts touched and horrified when she found out. Radek had been very understanding and Rodney had been beaming with pride; he’d said something to John about a list that had left him with pink ears and a calculating expression.

Because she mostly saw him laid back and slinky around her brother, she sometimes forgot that John used to fly special operations for the Air Force. No doubt about it, he was going to be trouble. She couldn’t think of anyone more deserving than Rodney.

Jeannie fluffed her hair in the mirror one last time before heading in to wait for Radek’s flight. Now that she’d engineered her brother’s happiness, it was time to focus on her own.

* * *

 

John looked at himself in the mirror and adjusted his collar one last time. His brother, Dave, had shown up with is undesirable wife [whose name turned out to be Charlie] after receiving Rodney’s invite. They’d had a very civilised pre-wedding dinner; alcohol free in deference to Charlie’s condition, and now John was wide awake and feeling great. He was so excited he could feel every cell of his body vibrating.

He was getting married!!

 

* * *

 

Rodney awoke to a mouth tasting like death and persistent pounding between his ears. It’s not like him to try and kill off his brain cells with alcohol, he should’ve told Radek no.

He tried to sit up, but that made the pounding worse. He was about to return to laying flat when Jeannie popped her head in the door.

“Rodney, get your lazy carcass up right this minute. You’re getting married in an hour!”

He was about to respond that one hour was plenty of time but when he rolled over and spied her expression, he thought better of it. She was still talking so he paid enough attention to hear she’d brought his things over, so he could get ready in the cabin.

He’d come here last night to leave John and his family to their civilised bachelor party. Ferenz and Radek had turned up at the cabin an hour later with two bottles of Radek’s moonshine and that was the last thing Rodney remembered.

A foul stench tore him from his musings and he discovered the odoriferous pong was coming from the glass Jeannie was handing him. It smelled like pickled rotten cabbage and he would have refused, but judging by her mood, she would’ve just held his nose and forced him anyway.

As he dazedly headed for the shower, Jeannie had told him no worry, it was ok to be nervous. But Rodney wasn’t nervous, why should he be; he was marrying John. John, who wanted to belong to him; to be owned, loved and cared for by Rodney. John who wanted to make him dinner and then kneel at his feet and massage his hands. John, whose idea of relaxing was to lay with his head in Rodney’s lap and his mouth on Rodney’s hard on for hours at a time. No Rodney wasn’t worried, he was impatient.

Rodney couldn’t wait for their month long honeymoon, he had a list of rewards and punishments John had earned since he accepted Rodney’s collar; it was going to be amazing!

When he got out of the shower, his tux was hanging on the back of the bathroom door and there two tablets plus a glass of something banana flavoured on the counter next to the sink. He swallowed it all down and brushed his teeth before combing his hair and getting dressed.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, Jeannie snapped at him impatiently and indicated he should sit down and not move. Once he was in position, something very cold was placed under his eyes before she left him with a promise to be back in 10 minutes. He must have drifted off, because before he knew it, she was back and handing him a tub while telling him to moisturise his face.

A second later he was doused in John’s favourite cologne and then suddenly, it was time.

He had to admit, the outdoor heaters did a brilliant job of keeping things toasty and Jeannie’s idea of the fairy lights and flowers combo combated the seasonal grey gloom nicely. Even the light dusting of snow was a nice accent. Rodney spared a quick thought for his sister; if this thing with Radek became serious, he could take credit for finding her a male order bride of her very own. Technically Radek was nothing of the sort, but that was just silly semantics. Radek had wanted to escape his situation in Siberia and he did come to Canada seeking a better life, so there!

Once he caught sight of John, all thoughts of Radek dissolved and everything else became a slow-moving blur. John looked amazing in his suit and Rodney couldn’t help but look him over. The tips of John’s ears went pink at the scrutiny and suddenly Rodney was desperate to have him; he couldn’t wait to wreck him. John must have picked up on his thoughts because he started biting his lips and giving Rodney his bedroom eyes. Rodney took a deep breath and barely managed to restrain himself. They’d waited this long, they could cope for a few more hours.

* * *

 

_Four days later…_

Rodney awoke to a cool breeze across his face. He was about to roll over and snooze for an hour [he was on his honeymoon afterall] when the meaning of the breeze registered; John was on the balcony--again. The thought drove Rodney out of bed and towards the balcony via a quickstop in the luxurious bathroom. From their first morning on the island, John had started something of a tradition; waiting for Rodney to join him on the balcony and artfully arranging himself to best display his lacey or laceup briefs.

He seemed to have one for everyday so far and Rodney had tried to find out where he’d gotten them [so he could get some more for when they got back to Atlas Valley] but John had been surprisingly coy about it.

Rodney just hoped today’s one would be worth forgoing his morning coffee. He was eager to see what today’s version would look like and his first glimpse of John did not disappoint. He was enticingly draped over the railing in what appeared a mesh pair of _very_ short shorts and when John looked back at him with that sultry smile that got his heart going, all thoughts of coffee flew right out the window.

He was a very lucky man indeed.

* * *

 

The sound of Rodney waking up and moving around the bedroom pulled John out of the sun-induced stupor he’d been enjoying while lounging on the balcony. Rodney was not a morning person and as much as John enjoyed cuddling, he could only lie still so long before he went crazy. At the thought of his husband, John couldn’t help but smile; he was married!

He listened to Rodney’s movements carefully, waiting for the perfect moment to strike his pose. He couldn’t help flushing at the thought of today’s offering; a reaction similar to how he’d felt when he’d first spotted them in store while shopping with Jeannie. They were the most daring so far and were so sheer he may as well be naked; they’d inspired the one-a-day idea and were the reason he was getting all this early morning action. John wondered if after the honeymoon he could get them framed.

He’d been apprehensive the first morning, but Rodney had been very appreciative, and the first pair hadn’t survived. Rodney had been almost inconsolable when he realised he’d ripped them and John had made a note to get a replacement. Since then, Rodney had been very careful and though his ardour certainly hadn’t cooled, he’d waited until John had removed his underwear before he really let loose. John had no complaints.

John thought back to the hours after the ceremony and their misunderstanding. When they’d left everyone in the heated gazebo and Rodney had taken him back to the cabin. He’d been so excited, positive that his new husband was about to make good on all the things he’d been promising. But John had been left feeling rejected and insecure, when despite his best efforts, Rodney had simply tucked him in with a blanket and told him to get some sleep. He’d laid there and drowning in hurt and confusion wondering if his marriage was a mistake. Maybe Rodney wanted to take care of him, but did he really _want_ him? Rodney had eventually laid down next to him and gone to sleep. While that hadn’t answered his question, it had made him feel marginally better and he’d managed to fall asleep.

John had awoke feeling energised but still insecure, though Rodney didn’t seem to notice that anything was wrong. They’d grabbed their bags and Jeannie had flown them to Toronto and from there it had only been a few hours to the island. They’d been mostly quiet the entire journey, though Rodney had held his hand through most of it.

It had been late afternoon, but still very warm when they arrived and Rodney had suggested they get changed and enjoy a few hours on their private strip of beach. John had mostly resigned himself to his fate by this point and had simply followed instruction.

Rodney had grumped about the sand so much that John, who’d simply planned to sit on his towel, had gone back and dragged one of the sun loungers off the veranda and down the beach just to shut him up. Things had been tense for a while, but eventually the sound of the surf and the absence Rodney’s whinging had John relaxing into a half doze.

He’d been genuinely startled when at some point later, Rodney had joined him on his towel in the sand. Rodney had presented him with a box similar to the one his collar came in, only larger. John had experienced a moment of panic thinking Rodney was taking his collar back when his words finally registered.

Rodney was apologising. His new collar had been commissioned with original date of the ceremony in mind and with the wedding date brought forward, it almost wasn’t ready in time. Apparently, Rodney had wanted to gift him his new collar before any consummation of vows took place. It was all very last minute and, in the end, the box had to be couriered to the jewellers inside Toronto Airport where their pilot had collected it on Rodney’s behalf.

Having heard Rodney’s apology, John had forgiven him instantly. He’d felt that horrible balloon of insecurity he always seemed to carry around with him burst into oblivion, and he’d almost broken Rodney’s nose in his haste to open the box. It contained two collars. One was simple leather choker, exquisite workmanship and very discreet. It could almost be considered as a fashion accessory and settled something deep inside him. It told John in a way words could not express, that no matter the circumstances, Rodney wanted John to always be wearing his collar.

The second collar left him absolutely stunned. It was similar to his engagement collar; matte black and encrusted with black diamonds. But there was now an additional row of diamonds, green this time, running along the middle of this collar. This collar was big _and_ flashy, John loved this one too. It wasn’t the cost [though the diamonds must’ve been pricey], it was more what they represented. Rodney understood him, he understood John’s needs and was happy to make the effort to fulfil them. In his enthusiasm he managed to knock Rodney off the towel and in the sand. But their tongues were busy becoming reacquainted before his husband had a chance to complain.

He’d finally managed to wiggle his hands down the front Rodney’s shorts, when Rodney had suddenly stood up and dragged him back up the beach to the cabana. They’d consummated the hell out of their vows, and the next morning, the first pair of lace briefs were Rodney’s reward. John was all about positive reinforcement these days.

Rodney’s presence on the balcony pulled him out of his musings and John couldn’t help but smile. It’d been a long time since he had a real reason to smile. He’d stopped smiling long before the Air Force, but it had returned with a vengeance and he found himself smiling a lot these days. Even as he turned to give Rodney his best come hither look, the smile persisted. Rodney didn’t seem to mind.

As John prepared to receive another dose of his own positive reinforcement, he thought to himself: I’ve never been this happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s your lot guys, this is the end. I’ve had fun and I hope you have too 


End file.
